On The Fly: Diana Taurasi Breaks WNBA All-Time Scoring Record

The record-setting basket came on a layup with 45 seconds left in the first half. Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury entered Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Sparks 14 points shy of the WNBA all-time scoring lead. She passed Tina Thompson's record of 7,488 points late in the first half, bringing the crowd in Los Angeles — including Kobe Bryant and his daughters — to its feet. Taurasi set the record about 40 minutes from her hometown of Chino, Calif., and one of the first to congratulate her was Candace Parker, making for a nice UConn-Tennessee moment. Taurasi is 35 and showing no signs of slowing, so she'll add to the record. "I think she is going to blow that record out of the water," Thompson said in a statement.

A question for Celtics fans: Are you losing trust in Danny? The motto as the team has rebuilt: "In Danny We Trust," a nod to wheeling-and-dealing team president Danny Ainge. But the guy who managed to acquire Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen seems more focused on accumulating draft picks than impact players. It remains to be seen if Markelle Fultz is a transcendent player, but couldn't the Celtics have used the No. 1 pick for a player? Instead, Boston will reportedly get the third picks in the draft and a future first-round pick from the 76ers. Maybe this is just another step in Ainge's grand plan — a pile of pick for Anthony Davis or Jimmy Butler? — and the 18th title is around the corner. Stay tuned ... and keep trusting Danny. … Yahoo's (and Bristol's) Adrian Wojnarowski dropped this scoop Sunday afternoon: Paul Georgehas informed the Indiana Pacers that he is leaving as a free agent in 2018 and he is focused on signing with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers, owners of the No. 2 pick, could swing a deal this summer or simply wait until George is free.

David Williams and Nazir Williams are not on the UConn football roster released Friday. But Southington High graduate Jay Rose is back, after leaving the program in August 2016. Rose, The Courant's offensive player of the year as a high school senior, was highly recruited and his decision to stay home was a major coup for UConn. So it's good news for Randy Edsall's staff that Rose is back, adding to an already deep group of tight ends. … The NHL unveiled the list of available players for the Las Vegas Golden Knights to pick from in the expansion draft. Among those made available by the Rangers are past and present Wolf Pack players Oscar Lindberg, Jasper Fast, Marek Hrivik and Mackenzie Skapski. Lindberg, a solid two-way player the past two years in New York, could be selected. … Speaking of former Wolf Pack players, Jed Ortmeyer has been hired by the Rangers as director of player development and will be working with players in Hartford this season.